Compare towns
Ayer vs Devens vs Upton vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most renters (41.9% rent).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ayer | Devens | Upton | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098 |
1,723Lowest |
8,189Highest |
2,684 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17kLowest 28% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43k 21% below MA |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 30% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
| Devens and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911 18% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.